Moto News | Aussies on top of the world in Enduro and Speedway GP

Moto News Weekly Wrap
May 17, 2022

What’s New:

• Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championships return!
• Jay Wilson remains unbeaten in Japanese MX Championship
• Max Fricke wins FIM Speedway GP of Poland
• James Scott wins New Zealand Cross Country Champs 2022
• 2022 ProMX Round 5 Entries Open
• MXoN Team Australia Applications Open
• Steve Holcombe sat out EnduroGP of Portugal
• A4DE 2023 goes back to Harvey (WA)
• Joey Savatgy Joins Monster Energy Kawasaki
• Hymas Captures Supercross Futures AMA National Championship
• 2023-2024 Australian MX, Dirt & Track Expressions of Interest open
• FIM Hard Enduro Round 2 heads to Serbia’s Xross
• Shana van der Vlist tops WMX podium in Sardegna
• Andrea Bonacorsi tops EMX250 in Sardinia
• Riders talk the 2022 MXGP of Sardegna (Round 8)
• Wil Ruprecht does the double in Portugal
• 2022 Racing Calendars
  • 2022 FIM Motocross (MXGP) World Championship
  • 2022 Monster Energy AMA/ FIM World Supercross
  • 2022 FIM Hard Enduro
  • 2022 Australian Arenacross
  • 2022 ProMX (Australia)
  • 2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX
  • 2022 Victorian Junior MX State Titles
  • 2022 WA State Supercross
  • 2022 FIM Bajas World Cup
  • 2022 Silk Way Rally
  • 2022 FIM ISDE

Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championships return!

The Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championships will return to the Motorcycling Australia competition calendar for the first time since January 2020, at Gillman Speedway on Saturday December 10.

While the Australian Speedway Senior Solo Championship is normally comprised of five rounds, the unusual circumstances in 2022 means that this year’s championship will be a one night only, winner take all, single event.

The long time reigning Champions is Max Fricke who won in 2019 and 2020.

In a Championship first, in 2022 there will be a comprehensive TV package with a free-to-air postproduction show, plus live streaming of the event via MA TV Production partners, AVE.

Jay Wilson remains unbeaten in Japanese MX Championship

Yamaha Factory Racing’s Jay Wilson remains unbeaten in the 2022 IA2 (250cc) division, after two rounds of the Japanese Motocross Championship, after dominating round two with a perfect 1-1 score.

Contested at the Kanto circuit, just north of Tokyo, the tight layout of the track with its clay based surface gave the riders plenty to think about as the weekend started off wet and muddy before drying on race day to a rut infested track that allowed Wilson to show case the handling and performance of the Yamaha YZ250F.

The Australian rider qualified fastest in the wet and sloppy conditions but come Sunday, the track had dried considerably and the racing was fast and furious at the head of the IA2 field.

Race one and Wilson didn’t get the jump out of the gate and was mired mid pack as the full field of riders charged out of the first turn. He was pinballed around on the opening lap and went down as he tried to move forward. He remounted quickly and again started to move forward but the passes weren’t coming easy on the tight circuit and Wilson could see the leaders getting away.

With a burst of speed, he moved his way to third at the halfway point and then with some clear track, quickly caught the rider in second place. As he positioned himself to make a pass in one of the tight turns, he clipped the back wheel of the rider in front and again went down.

Now at boiling point inside his helmet, he was in no mood for messing around and had to get his skates on if he was any chances of catching the leader with under 10 minutes remaining. He wasted no time moving into second place, then set off after the leader. With two laps remaining, he made his move and grabbed the race lead. The pair battled for the next lap in some tight racing before Wilson was able to break clear with a lap remaining and take a hard-fought victory in race one.

The second race start was just as bad as the first one and again he was deep in the pack as the field rounded the first lap. Learning from his first race adventures, Wilson was far more conservative on the opening lap and despite no crashes, was still outside the top ten in the early stages.

As the race settled in, he began to pick off riders one at a time. He moved inside the top five at the halfway point and had while they were in sight, he still needed to make up more than a straight to catch and pass the front runners.

But that’s what he did as he meticulously worked his way to the front with a few laps to spare and got the one lap to go board with a handy three second buffer over his nearest rival.

Wilson crossed the finish line with his first in the air to complete a dominating day and keep his win streak, now at five races, alive.

Jay Wilson

“I had to work for that today, my starts were terrible and as a result I got caught in the chaos of the racing in the early laps. In race one after the crash, I panicked a bit as I knew I had a lot of time to make up but all that did was make me ride tight and with no flow. I was able to win, but it wasn’t pretty, and the local riders did a great job. Although I got another awful start in race two, at least I was able to use what I had learned in the first race and be a little more patient working my way through the field. I had 30 minutes to get to the front and as a result, I rode much better and was able to get there with some time to spare. Thank you to Yamaha, our team sponsors and everyone for turning up today. It wasn’t looking good on Friday when we arrived but the did a great job with the track to get it as good as it was and also well done to the local Japanese riders. They stepped it up this round and made me earn this one.”

Wilson now has small break in racing before the next round of the championship but will continue to work not only with his team but also in a testing role with Yamaha as well as mentor the younger Japanese riders in a very busy schedule.

Max Fricke wins FIM Speedway GP of Poland

Max Fricke celebrated “one of those memories I will never forget” as he stormed to glory overnight at the Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland in front of over 50,000 fans at PGE Narodowy on Saturday.

The 26-year-old Victorian topped the podium after a lightning start in the final saw him defeat runner-up Leon Madsen of Denmark and Swedish star Fredrik Lindgren in one of world speedway’s biggest events, which roared back into PGE Narodowy after a three-year break.

It was a night which saw fans in Warsaw display their solidarity with their Ukrainian neighbours as giant tifos of the Polish and Ukrainian flags flew proudly in the PGE Narodowy stands before racing. Over 100 Ukrainian visitors were also welcomed to the event, touring the stadium and meeting the riders during the afternoon.

But the night belonged to Fricke, who picked up his second Speedway GP win – a year and a half after his first at 2020 round seven in Torun. The Mansfield-born racer was elated to celebrate the biggest win of his career in front of the sport’s biggest crowd.

Max Fricke

“It’s unreal. It’s unreal to be able to say I have won a GP here in this amazing stadium in front of so many people. I really had to take a few moments, especially after the meeting, to really take in the atmosphere and the crowd. It’s definitely one of those memories I will never forget. I haven’t done a lot of time racing in indoor stadiums. I have ridden in them once or twice, but a long time ago. I knew it was going to be a little trickier tonight. I was just able to feel really comfortable with my bikes. My team did a really amazing job tonight and on Friday at Qualifying Practice to get me into this position and get me feeling good on the bike. Once I got out of the starts, I had plenty of speed.”

Fricke’s victory comes as the perfect tonic after he started the season with just two points at the season-opening FIM Speedway GP of Croatia – Donji Kraljevec on April 30. Fricke is the only 2022 Speedway GP rider who does not compete in Poland’s PGE Ekstraliga – the world’s biggest speedway league. Instead, he followed Zielona Gora into Poland’s First Division following their relegation last year. He becomes the first rider not competing against the world’s best riders in Poland’s top flight to win a Speedway GP round in recent memory.

Max Fricke

“I don’t know if it has been done, so it’s definitely something I can say I have done. The most important thing was that I felt really good tonight, regardless of what league I race in. I have been pretty busy and I have been riding a lot, so it was good to bounce back after that first round in Croatia and have a good result.”

Runner-up Madsen was elated to overcome a recent bout of flu and storm to second place in Warsaw, where he topped the podium at the last PGE Narodowy event in 2019. Madsen is now on 30 championship points – two short of series leader Bartosz Zmarzlik, who exited at the semi-final stage with 12 points.

Third-placed Lindgren fell just short of the semi-finals in Croatia, so he was pleased to recover with 16 championship points in Warsaw.

26-year-old Sydneysider Jack Holder scored a top ten finish for the night just ahead of 36-year-old countryman Jason Doyle.

Next up is the Prague FIM Speedway GP of Czech Republic – Prague on Saturday, May 28. The highly-anticipated Marketa Stadium weekend also features the first-ever SGP2 round – the revamped FIM Speedway Under-21 World Championship on Friday, May 27.

Orlen FIM Speedway GP of Poland Points Scores

1. Max Fricke 20
2. Leon Madsen 18
3. Fredrik Lindgren 16
4. Mikkel Michelsen 14
5. Bartosz Zmarzlik 12
6. Maciej Janowski 11
7. Tai Woffinden 10
8. Pawel Przedpelski 9
9. Robert Lambert 8
10. Jack Holder 7
11. Jason Doyle 6
12. Patryk Dudek 5
13. Maksym Drabik 4
14. Dan Bewley 3
15. Martin Vaculik 2
16. Anders Thomsen 1
17. Jakub Miskowiak 0
18. Vitalii Lysak DNR

FIM Speedway GP Championship Standings

1. Bartosz Zmarzlik 32
2. Leon Madsen 30
3. Mikkel Michelsen 30
4. Maciej Janowski 29
5. Fredrik Lindgren 24
6. Max Fricke 22
7. Robert Lambert 18
8. Anders Thomsen 15
9. Jason Doyle 15
10. Tai Woffinden 14
11. Matej Zagar 11
12. Pawel Przedpelski 10
13. Jack Holder 10
14. Patryk Dudek 10
15. Martin Vaculik 9
16. Dan Bewley 9
17. Maksym Drabik 4

FIM Speedway GP

James Scott wins New Zealand Cross Country Champs 2022

The New Zealand Cross Country Champs 2022 have wrapped up over the weekend, with Honda’s James Scott claiming the final round win, alongside the championship title, after a season which has seen him go undefeated.

Runners up were the Yamaha duo of Tommy Watts and Wil Yoeman in the overall championship standings, although the final round saw Jacob Brown regulate Watts to fourth, with Seth Reardon fifth and Ethan Harris sixth.

In the Juniors it was Jared Hannon who claimed top honours, with the Senior classes seeing Scott take the Four-Stroke Over-300cc title, with Watts claiming the Under-300cc title. Winning the Women’s title was Charlotte Russ, and Jack Carmichael won the U19s.

In the two-strokes it was Yeoman taking the Over-200cc title and Ben Paterson topping the Under 200ccs. Hugh Lintott won the Over-45 Vets, while Stephen Sergeant was the 35-44-years winner.

2022 ProMX Round 5 Entries Open

Entries for the 2022 Penrite ProMX Championship, presented by AMX Superstores are set to open at 3pm (AEST) Thursday the 12th May for Round 5 at Maitland, NSW scheduled for 26 June 2022.

Due to a number of classes being oversubscribed previously, we are encouraging riders to enter early in order to avoid disappointment.

Entries are available via RiderNet or a link can be found via competitor info on the ProMX Website, closing Sunday 19 June at 11:59pm.

MXoN Team Australia Applications Open

In 2022, RedBud in Michigan, USA will host the 75th Monster Energy FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN). Running from 23 to 25 September, Motorcycling Australia (MA) is today calling for all interested competitors to submit their applications to join Team Australia.

This year will see Team Australia return to the competition for the first time since 2019. Known as the ‘Olympics of Motocross’, Team Australia will join competitors from over 30 countries from all over the world, all vying to be crowned champions and be the pride of their nation.

There are three classes available for riders to nominate for: MX1, MX2 and Open. Riders are advised that they can nominate for more than one class. Applications must be submitted by no later than COB Friday the 10th of June.

If you are interested in being selected as part of Team Australia, please click here for the application form

For further enquiries regarding applications, please contact MA’s Off-Road Event Manager, Matthew Falvo via offroad@ma.org.au

Steve Holcombe sat out EnduoGP of Portugal

Acting on advice given to him following visits to wrist and shoulder specialists, Steve sat out last weekend’s GP of Portugal, round two of the FIM EnduroGP World Championship.

Falling awkwardly during the second extreme test on day two of the GP of Spain, Steve battled his way to the end of the day, unable to match the performances that saw him top the Enduro2 class and finish a close second in the overall EnduroGP category on day one.

Knowing that things weren’t as they should be with his wrist and shoulder, Steve flew back to the UK and visited wrist and shoulder specialists.

Steve Holcombe

“I can’t really explain how disappointing this is. Although not racing this weekend wasn’t really a difficult decision to make from a physical point of view – I banged myself up pretty good last weekend, so I know I’m nowhere near able to perform how I need to – to have to make a decision like this so early in the world championship, well, it sucks! I guess a lot of people will have seen the big crash I had on day one at the GP of Spain, but weirdly that wasn’t the off that put me in the situation I’m in now. I fell, at relatively low speed, on the second extreme test on day two, and tweaked my wrist pretty good, and fell awkwardly on my shoulder. I struggled on to the end of the day, but it was clear things weren’t right on Monday. The specialists I’ve seen advised me not to race on the weekend, so that’s what we’ve decided to do. There’s a lot of racing to come this year, I want to get back to full fitness and then get back to racing. I owe it to myself, the team, and all my sponsors to be fully fit and fighting for day and event wins, which hopefully I’ll be back doing again soon.”

Courtney Duncan takes time out to heal

Reigning World Women’s Motocross Champion Courtney Duncan sat out the round three MXGP of Sardegna last weekend to allow her injured collarbone more healing time.

It was a considered decision yet still a bitter blow to the hard-fighting New Zealander who will now not be able to execute a fourth WMX title in a row. She plans to return to the world stage in two weeks’ time at the MXGP of Spain.

“As a racer it can always be a difficult decision knowing when’s the right time to come back, as obviously you don’t want to return too early and step yourself further back. Sitting out the Sardegna GP wasn’t taken lightly but I know it’s the right thing to do, as the recovery would have been rushed and I wouldn’t have been ready. At elite level you need to be at 100 percent to commit to the task and we aren’t there yet,” Duncan says.

While riding in the free practice session at the second round’s MXGP of Portugal early in April, Duncan had a heavy fall from her Kawasaki KX250. Since then, she has had the break in her collarbone plated by a surgeon and spent some time in Southern France with a friend.

Duncan will fly home to Dunedin in June, making the most of the two-and-a-half-month gap in the series’ revised calendar before returning to Europe to contest the final WMX round in Turkey on September 3.

A4DE 2023 goes back to Harvey (WA)

The Trail & Enduro Motorcycle Club of WA are pleased to announce that their A4DE, which was to be run in 2021, has been re-scheduled to 17-20 May 2023 and will attract up to 250 riders from across Australia to compete in Harvey, Western Australia.

Australian owned company Pilot Air Compressors have renewed their commitment to the A4DE as the Naming Rights sponsor for the 2023 Australian Four Day Enduro Championships.

The event, to be held in Harvey, Western Australia, is the premier event on the Off-road Enduro Motorcycling Calendar.

The Shire of Harvey has thrown their weight behind the event with extensive support and assistance to the Club while Parks and Wildlife Services are working with organisers to enable access to a great variety of trails and tracks.

2023 Australian Four Day Enduro event organiser Collin Jennings said, “It’s great to have ongoing support from Pilot Air and other sponsors to support the event.

After the A4DE going missing for a couple of years, it is great that there will be two consecutive A4DE back on the Calendar and riders can be assured that the 2023 event will be one you won’t want to miss.”

Pilot Air first supported an A4DE in 2013 when the event was last in WA. For the 2023 event they have decided to step up for the naming rights with their West Australian distributor Air & Power.

Joey Savatgy Joins Monster Energy Kawasaki

The Monster Energy Kawasaki racing team and Joey Savatgy have come to an agreement for the Team Green veteran to compete on a KX450SR alongside Jason Anderson in the 2022 AMA Pro Motocross Championship.

Savatgy rejoins Team Green after a two-year hiatus, building upon a successful four-year race-winning partnership aboard a KX250 with the Monster Energy /Pro Circuit/Kawasaki team and a year of premier class competition with Monster Energy Kawasaki.

In 2019, Savatgy earned Monster Energy AMA Supercross 450SX “Rookie of the Year” honors as well as several top-10 Pro Motocross finishes with the Monster Energy Kawasaki team.

Savatgy will fill-in for Monster Energy Kawasaki rider Adam Cianciarulo until he is ready to return from a knee injury sustained earlier this season.

With a proven history of 250cc Pro Motocross wins with Kawasaki, the team and Savatgy look forward to the No.17 rider competing at the front of the pack alongside the No.21 of Anderson.

Joey Savatgy

“It’s a privilege to join the Monster Energy Kawasaki team for the upcoming Pro Motocross Championship. I’ve had a lot of success with the team in the past and I’m eager to continue building on that in the coming months. We’re only a few weeks shy of the season opener so we will aim to progress as the season goes on, but I’m confident my familiarity with the bike and the team will help speed that process along. I’m optimistic about what we can achieve together this summer.”

Hymas Captures Supercross Futures AMA National Championship

Team Honda HRC’s Chance Hymas became the first winner of the newly formatted Supercross Futures AMA National Championship on Saturday, May 7, in Salt Lake City.

The 16-year-old Hymas, who tallied AMA Supercross Futures wins at the Atlanta and Foxborough Premier qualifiers, and a second-place finish at the Arlington Premier qualifying event, entered the championship-deciding race with plenty of momentum. In the winner-takes-all final race — which coincided with the AMA Supercross season finale — Hymas battled with runner-up finisher Ryder DiFrancesco early on but stretched his lead to more than 8 seconds by race’s end to become the Supercross Futures AMA National Champion.

“This is so awesome,” Hymas said from the podium after accepting the National No. 1 plate. “So many people from home and around Utah came to watch me, and every lap I came around I could hear people cheering for me. [Winning today] is something so special.”

In the updated format, the top four riders in each of the six regions’ Premier qualifying events advanced to the Supercross Futures AMA National Championship at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City. The updated program not only allows amateur riders to earn points for their AMA Supercross license, but also provides them with the chance to showcase their talents on professional-level Supercross tracks in stadiums at AMA Supercross events.

2023-2024 Australian MX, Dirt & Track Expressions of Interest open

Expressions of interest (EOI) are now being called for from suitably qualified States, Clubs and Promoters who wish to host an Australian Motorcycle Sport Championship for 2023 and 2024.

EOI’s are now available for the following Championships:

Motocross (MX):

• Australian Classic Motocross Championship
• Australian Post Classic Motocross Championship
• Australian ATV Motocross Championship

EOI Forms for the above MX Australian Championships are available here (link). Please complete and return your EOI Form to Motorcycling Australia’s (MA) Event Manager for Off- Road, Matthew Falvo, via: offroad@ma.org.au.

Track:

• Australian Senior Track Championships
• Australian Junior Track Championships
• Australian Senior Dirt Track Championships
• Australian Junior Dirt Track Championships
• Australian Classic Dirt Track Championship
• Australian Post Classic Dirt Track Championship

EOI Forms for the above Track and Dirt Track Australian Championships are available here (link). Please complete and return your EOI Form to MA’s Event Manager for Track, Trent Price via: events2@ma.org.au.

All forms must be completed and returned to the above Events contacts by Friday 1st July 2022.

Upon the close of EOI’s for the above listed Championships, MA will contact the successful State, Club or Promoter with additional information on the specific Championship and the requirements moving forward.

FIM Hard Enduro Round 2 heads to Serbia’s Xross

The Serbian mountains are calling as the FIM Hard Enduro World Championship heads to Xross Hard Enduro Rally for round two. A new event to the series, all eyes are on the world’s top Hard Enduro riders to see who can tame these exciting new trails.

After a winning start to the season in Israel, Sherco Factory Racing’s Mario Roman will look to add another victory to his tally. The Spaniard rode incredibly well in the hot, dry, and dusty Dead Sea terrain, but Serbia promises to be a very different race to Israel, where rocky and root-infested forest tracks, mixed with wild and isolate mountain peaks await.

However, Roman has always performed well in these type of conditions, and at similar multi-day Hard Enduro races like Red Bull Romaniacs, so will be eager to put his Sherco on the top step of the podium once again.

Of the top Hard Enduro competitors starting the Xross Hard Enduro Rally, Sherco Factory Racing’s Wade Young is the only rider to have won it. And he’s done it twice! Wade will be hoping to put that past experience to excellent use next week when the going is sure to get tough.

Runner-up in Israel, Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Billy Bolt arrives in Serbia focused on winning. The defending champion was nursing a wrist injury last time out but looks to have put that behind him and is hungry for his first victory of the 2022 campaign.

With 300 kilometres of riding to cover in Serbia, it’s hard to rule out Hard Enduro legend Graham Jarvis when thinking about possible final podium results. The Jarvis Racing Team Husqvarna rider impressed everyone with third in Israel. With conditions likely to favour the Brit in Serbia, expect Graham to be in the mix when it matters most.

Debuting his new AG Racing Team 89, Alfredo Gomez rode well in Israel for fourth. He’s since spent some time in Romania testing with his new GASGAS preparing for what he believes will be similar conditions in Serbia. Leaving no stone unturned, the Spaniard wants to hit the podium this time out.

GASGAS Factory Racing’s Michael Walkner put in one of the best rides of his young career at round one, despite a missed checkpoint pushing him down the running order. He looks to make amends at round two. Teodor Kabakchiev (Team Bulgaria powered by ECONT), Dominik Olszowy (GASGAS) and Francesc Moret (RIEJU) will also be riders to watch.

After sitting out round one due to injury, KTM Factory Racing’s Manuel Lettenbichler makes a very welcome return to the Hard Enduro paddock. Runner-up to Bolt in the 2021 season, along with winning multiple races, it will be exciting to see the formidable #304 back on track. Having worked hard on his recuperation, Mani will be fighting hard to make his presence felt in Serbia.

Junior Cup

The Xross Hard Enduro Rally will also mark round one of the FIM Hard Enduro Junior Cup for riders under the age of 22. The Junior riders will compete within the overall Pro class, but with an additional title to race for. Eleven riders have already confirmed their entries for the Serbian event.

A new category for the series, it will be difficult to call which riders will come out on top as a group of Hard Enduro newcomers square up against some already established competitors.

With a strong showing at Minus 400, Israel’s Suff Sella (AG Racing Team 89) will be looking to claim a little piece of history as the first Junior class winner in Hard Enduro. However, South Africa’s Matt Green has his sights set on that top step of the podium for Rigo Racing. Sella’s teammate Marc Fernandez also rode strongly at Minus 400 and will look to deliver his best, as too will Rieju’s Nicola Grossi.

The four-day Xross Hard Enduro Rally gets underway on Wednesday May 18, with an opening ceremony in Zlatibor, followed by the afternoon Akrapovic Straight Rhythm prologue. It’s then down to the serious business of racing on Thursday for the first of three 100-kilometre long days. Each day the riding will take the Pro, Expert, Hobby, and Amateur competitors deep into the surrounding mountains of Kopaonik, Mount Tara, and Mokra Gora, pushing everyone to their limits.

FIM Hard Enduro Standings

1. Mario Roman (Sherco) 20
2. Billy Bolt (Husqvarna) 17
3. Graham Jarvis (Husqvarna) 15
4. Alfredo Gomez (GASGAS) 13
5. Wade Young (Sherco) 11
6. Teodor Kabakchiev (Husqvarna) 10
7. Dominik Olszowy (GASGAS) 9
8. Michael Walkner (GASGAS) 8
9. David Cyprian (KTM) 7
10. Francesc Moret (Rieju) 6…

Shana van der Vlist tops WMX podium in Sardegna

The third round of the FIM Women’s Motocross World Championship has concluded in Riola Sardo, with Shana van der Vlist securing the overall round of Sardegna victory and celebrating her first trip to the top of the box in 2022.

The WMX racing saw plenty of action, with intense battles between championship rivals Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing and JK Yamaha Racing’s Lynn Valk, who ultimately got very unlucky with a DNF in race two and lost the red plate.

In the first WMX race of the weekend, it was Nancy Van De Ven of Ceres 71 Racing who grabbed the holeshot as she briefly led JK Yamaha Racing’s Lynn Valk and Shana van der Vlist. Though Valk was quick to find her way into the lead as Van De Ven dropped to third as van der Vlist found her way through too.

Amadine Verstappen also started well in fourth ahead of Daniela Guillen, Larissa Papenmeier of Yamaha Racing 243 and Tahlia Jade O’Hare of Honda 114 Motorsports.

van der Vlist then set the fastest lap of the race as she looked to close in on Valk, while Van De Ven began to lose ground to the two ladies ahead. The Yamaha rider then crashed on lap four and dropped back to 10th, though was determined to take back as many points as possible as she got herself into eighth shortly after.

On lap five, van der Vlist took the lead from Valk and then got her head down and managed to pull away as she looked unaffected by the heat and the sandy conditions.

Britt Jans-Beken was also making some moves as she got herself up two positions in less than half a lap to fifth. In the latter stages of the race, she found herself in a close battle for fourth with Verstappen and Papenmeier, though crashed and dropped back to seventh.

In the end, van der Vlist won with a 22.087 second advantage over Valk and Guillen, Papenmeier and Verstappen.

In the second heat, it was once again Van De Ven with the holeshot ahead of van der Vlist and Verstappen. Meanwhile, Valk started down in around 10th.

In the opening stages, van der Vlist quickly found her way into second as she focused on the leader ahead, all while Verstappen dropped back to fifth.

A few moments later Valk and Verstappen made contact as Verstappen went down big. The Kawasaki rider received medical attention immediately as Valk was forced to DNF due to bike damage from the collision and as a result lost valuable championship points and the red plate.

Guillen was running strong in third, on her way to her first WMX podium ever. As van der Vlist was setting herself up for making a pass on Van De Ven. The KTM rider made several attempts as we watched the pair battle it out in the closing stages of the race, though Van De Ven was able to keep her cool and win her second race of the season. van der Vlist was second ahead of Guillen, Martine Hughes of Honda114 Motorsports and Jans-Beken.

With a 1-2 score, van der Vlist took her first overall victory of the season, with Van De Ven second on the box with a 6-1 scorecard ahead of Guillen who went 3-3 to secure her first WMX podium.

Valk’s DNF in race two proved to be costly as she now drops to second in the standings while Van De Ven leads with a 12-point advantage. While van der Vlist is third.

The next round of the Women’s Motocross World Championship will take place in intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos for the round of Spain on the 28th and 29th of May.

Shana van der Vlist

“It was the best race of the season and also for me the best track. I’m really happy that I could make up some points and I’m looking forward to the next race”.

WMX Round Overall

WMX Standings

Andrea Bonacorsi tops EMX250 in Sardinia

At the fourth round of the EMX250 Championship in Riola Sardo, Sardegna, Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing ended their weekend with a huge success as their riders Andrea Bonacorsi and Rick Elzinga finished 1-2 on the podium.

For Bonacorsi this was his first overall victory since making the move up to the EMX250 category last year and was the perfect bounce-back after a tough start to the season, while Elzinga clawed back some vital championship points.

In the first race of the EMX250 class, we saw Mike Gwerder of WZ Racing Team lead the way with Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing’s Rick Elzinga just behind. Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Cas Valk, who was making his wildcard appearance in the 250cc class also started well in third, ahead of Dave Kooiker of Hutten Metaal Yamaha Racing and Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Cornelius Toendel.

By the end of the opening lap, Elzinga took over the lead, as Kooiker also went by Gwerder as he got himself into second. Gwerder continued to lose positions, as he dropped down to fifth, while Kooiker set the fastest lap of the race and was right on the heels of his teammate Elzinga.

Meico Vettik had an off-track excursion as he crashed and did not finish the race.

On lap five there was a change for the lead as Kooiker was able to find a way around Elzinga, all while Lucas Coenen of Jumbo Husqvarna BT Racing Team got by Quentin Marc Prugnieres for fifth and continued his charge to the front.

Kooiker was looking strong in the sandy conditions as he pulled away by 2.543 seconds from Elzinga who was working hard to not lose grip on the leader.

Coenen then passed Valk on lap eight and then two laps later got himself into third and was not done there as he put in some strong laps to close in on the two guys at the top.

With three laps to go, Elzinga was able to bounce back and secure maximum points as he passed Kooiker, then out of nowhere came their teammate Andrea Bonacorsi who in the closing stages passed for fourth and then got Coenen for third and on the final lap also passed Kooiker for second.

In the end, Elzinga secured the win, Bonacorsi crossed the line second ahead of Kooiker, Coenen and Prugnieres.

In the second race, Gwerder once again got a strong start as he led Coenen, Bonacorsi, Elzinga and Jorgen Mathias Talviku of Sahkar Racing. Though early on in the opening lap, Coenen took over the lead as Bonacorsi also made a move on Gwerder.

The championship leader, Toendel started in around 10th as Gwerder lost another position to Elzinga who was on a charge. The Swiss continued to drop down the order until finally finishing in eighth position.

But Bonacorsi was on a charge as he caught onto the rear wheel of Coenen and on lap 10 was able to make a pass stick to take over first position. Elzinga also started to gain on the Belgian, as Coenen was doing his best to stay ahead, though a couple of mistakes crept in which cost him valuable time.

In the end, Bonacorsi went on to win the race ahead of Coenen who was able to keep Elzinga at bay, while Toendel fought back to fourth ahead of Valk.

With a 2-1 result, Bonacorsi was declared the overall winner as he secured his first-round victory in the EMX250 category. Joining him on the second step of the podium was his teammate Elzinga, who fought back some important championship points and with Coenen third on the box.

Despite not making it onto the podium, Toendel continues to lead the EMX250 Championship standings by a slim four-point margin over Elzinga, with Fantic Factory Team Maddii’s Haakon Osterhagen third.

The next round of the EMX250 will head to the legendary Ernèe circuit for the Monster Energy MXGP of France on the 4th and 5th of June.

Andrea Bonacorsi – P1

“Finally, first overall. And finally, back on my pace, we just need to work to go more and more like that. First race was not the best start but then I knew the race was long and it was hot with big bumps but I went until the end and started to push more to finish second. In race two, I started in the top three and then I put my way on first position and kept my pace until the end.”

EMX250 Round Overall

EMX250 Standings

Riders talk the 2022 MXGP of Sardegna (Round 8)

The 2022 MXGP of Sardegna provided hot and challenging for conditions for riders, as the FIM Motocross World Championship competed its eighth round, with Calvin Vlaanderen taking top honours by a strong margin in the MXGP class, after a great qualifying performance.

Meanwhile Tom Vialle also celebrated big as he secured his first GP victory since Trentino and his second here in Riola Sardo, with Jago Geerts just missing out on the top spot, with both riders tied on 47-points for the weekend.

MXGP Race 1

In the first MXGP race of the day, it was Team HRC’s Tim Gajser who claimed his second Fox Holeshot of the season and led the way ahead of Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Jorge Prado and Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Pauls Jonass.

Riley Racing’s Brent Van doninck started well in fourth ahead of JM Honda’s Henry Jacobi, Monster Energy Yamaha Racing’s Jeremy Seewer and Gebben Van Venrooy Yamaha Racing’s Calvin Vlaanderen.

Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Maxime Renaux tipped over in the start which also caught out Standing Construct Husqvarna Factory Racing’s Brian Bogers, Honda 114 Motorsports’ Ruben Fernandez and Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Glenn Coldenhoff.

As the race got going, Alberto Forato of SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery and Fernandez went down together, as Renaux also crashed once more.

Seewer then passed Van doninck for fourth on the second lap as Vlaanderen followed too. The South African born Dutchman then, set his sights on the Swiss as he set the fastest lap of the race. Though it took Vlaanderen a total of five laps to actually get by the Factory Yamaha rider.

Vlaanderen’s pass on Seewer came shortly after the pair got around Jonass and by the 10th lap Vlaanderen was third. Gajser continued to lead the way with Prado in second.

Team HRC’s Mitch Evans was also looking good as he got by Van doninck for sixth and then got around Jonass too. Things were looking good for the Australian until lap 15 when he fell back to 12th and eventually ended up 22nd.

Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Mattia Guadagnini was having a good ride in around 10th and just slipped back to 11th towards the end of the race.

On lap 14, Vlaanderen eased past Prado for second and then set his sights on the win. The Yamaha rider had some very fast laps and with two laps from the end got by Gajser to win his first ever MXGP race. Gajser crossed the line in second ahead of Prado, Seewer and Bogers.

MXGP Race 2

In race two, the Fox Holeshot went to Prado, who led Jonass, Fernandez, Vlaanderen, Coldenhoff and Gajser. Kawasaki Racing Team MXGP’s Ben Watson and Evans were unlucky in the first corner as they went down.

After a better start in the second race, Vlaanderen looked determined to make quick moves to the top but Jonass made him work for it, as it took the Dutchman four laps to find his way into second.

Gajser was having a much tougher second race as struggled in sixth. The Slovenian was briefly passed by Renaux though got him back shortly after. Though crashed and then faded down to 12th, as it was revealed that he had struggled with a sickness during the weekend.

On lap six, Coldenhoff got Jonass for third, and Renaux and Seewer were next to go by the Latvian as the two teammates battled on. Seewer briefly passed his teammate and then shortly after got Fernandez too but made a small mistake and crashed.

The Swiss was not finished as he passed Guadagnini and Jonass within the same moment as he got going again.

Meanwhile on lap eighth Vlaanderen eased past Prado for the lead. He looked in control for the rest of the race as the heat and tough track conditions did not look like they were affecting him. A couple of laps later Coldenhoff also got by Prado too.

In the end, Vlaanderen won the race ahead of Coldenhoff, Prado, Renaux, and Bogers.

A perfect 1-1 scorecard gave Vlaanderen his first overall victory in the MXGP category, with Prado making his return from injury onto the second step of the podium, while Coldenhoff celebrated his first trip to the box in third!

Despite not making it onto the podium, Gajser still leads the championship with a 79-point advantage over Renaux and Seewer, as Prado remains fourth in the standings.

Calvin Vlaanderen – P1

“I’m speechless. Just honestly, it was a perfect weekend. I was first in every single session that mattered. First in time practice, first in the qualifying race and then both races. It’s just… I don’t know what to say, just years and years of hard work, this is what I dreamed of coming into MXGP. You know, winning and to be here right now. It’s like a dream. I just wish my family was here and everyone from back home. I think it all started with the week leading up to this, like mentally it’s such a big thing in the sport, especially at this level to believe you can win. And coming to this weekend, I honestly believed for the first time in my career, I can win it. And it’s such a nice feeling, just confidence and it showed today that I could do it.”

Jorge Prado – P2

“It was great to get back to racing. Obviously, after the shoulder injury and three weeks off the bike. Sardegna is not the easiest track and I didn’t even know if I could ride. So, Saturday I took it easy, and I saw that I could manage to ride and ride quite well. I was quite motivated to get back on track and just take some points and see where we’re at. And here I am going on the podium, second overall. It’s a great way to come back to MXGP. It’s a pity about this shoulder injury, but if I could do this, like this, I think many great things will come in the future. So, I will keep working and I will go for it.”

Glenn Coldenhoff – P3

“In the first race I didn’t start so well, somebody crashed in front of me in the second turn and I had to go all the way to the back. Actually going into this weekend I was sick, also in Maggiora already and we tried everything with the team to get healthy again but it looked like it was stuck with me. In the second race, I got a little better start. Then I made a mistake, but I saw Calvin pushing hard in the beginning, so I felt like I wanted to go with him. Congrats to Calvin, he was riding really good. I couldn’t follow but still I had a good feeling. Even after that second race I wanted to go straight to the track again because I didn’t expect the podium, but it’s good to be here. And again, it’s been a tough road. That I know I can do it, but it was just a bit difficult. But here we are again.”

Maxime Renaux – P4

“It was a tough weekend like we expected, really hot weather and a brutal track. In the first race I crashed in the second corner and crashed twice in the first lap. To start dead last and push to sixth was really good. I messed up the second corner again in the second moto, and had to come from a little bit further back, so I was really tired at the end of the moto after using a lot of energy in the first race. Not the best day for me, but still good points for the championship.”

Jeremy Seewer – P5

“I struggled so much with bike set-up yesterday. We’ve made the bike work really well on the hardpack, but in the sand, there is still some room for improvement and yesterday I struggled a lot. I lost a lot of confidence yesterday, so to come back from that was mentally tough and I am happy I did it. I am satisfied with the result; maybe one small crash too much, but it’s racing. It’s how it goes. I still collected good points and managed to set up my bike really good. In the second moto I was feeling really strong, and my fitness is also very good. Overall, there are a lot of positives to take into the next few races, so I look forward to that, and being back on the podium again.”

Mattia Guadagnini – P8

“It was a tough debut, but I enjoyed it a lot! I think that making the change was the right thing to do for me, so thanks to the team. I am already feeling really, really good on my MC 450F. This is definitely a great bike for me. I feel like I could have been even higher up than eighth in that second moto, but I did not want to task risks. I could not ask for a better debut. I’m feeling so positive!”

Ben Watson – P18

“It was a really tough weekend. The feeling was quite good at the beginning and we tried to find the next step; we tried a lot of things but they didn’t work out. I had a good start in the second race but there was a start crash which was out of my hands at turn one and I ended up in a big heap with a couple of other riders. We’ll keep working.”

Mitch Evans

“For three-quarters of race one, I was really excited for how the weekend would turn out. However, then the heat got to me and I really struggled to finish the moto and then race two was even worse. In race one I had moved up from eighth to fifth and I was closing in on fourth place and I was really happy with how I was riding. I’d had a good start as well and had found a good rhythm and things were really flowing, on what was a very rough and difficult track. Then I just really struggled to maintain the same feeling and dropped down the field. It was really tough and a big shame because I was riding so well. In race two, I wanted to come out and try my best once again and I really got a good start, and was in the lead heading down the straight. Unfortunately, I found a soft spot of sand as I rounded the first corner and tucked the front wheel. By the time I got back on the bike, I noticed it was damaged so I had to pull into the mechanics to fix the issue. Of course, by then I was way behind the rest of the field, so I tried to do a couple of fast laps before pulling off the track. It was a disappointing weekend results-wise, but I felt my riding is getting better and I’m on the right path.”

MXGP of Sardegna Results Overall

MXGP of Sardegna Standings

MX2 Race 1

As the gate dropped for MX2 race one, it was Monster Energy Yamaha Factory Racing’s Thibault Benistant who took the Fox Holeshot and led his teammate Jago Geerts, F&H Kawasaki Racing’s Kevin Horgmo and 426 Motorsports’ Conrad Mewse.

Red Bull KTM Factory Racing’s Tom Vialle was down in around sixth as Liam Everts of Diga Procross KTM Racing and Riley Racing’s Joel Rizzi went down in the first corner.

Vialle had a very good opening lap as he got around Red Bull GasGas Factory Racing’s Simon Längenfelder, Mewse and Horgmo, to get himself into third. The Frenchman then began to chase down his fellow countryman, Benistant, and why the second lap was already in second place.

A strong ride in the opening laps put Vialle right on the rear wheel of Geerts and then we witnessed the two go head-to-head for the rest of the race.

Meanwhile behind them, Mewse and SM Action Racing Team YUASA Battery’s Andrea Adamo battled for sixth, as Längenfelder passed Horgmo for fourth place. Horgmo then dropped down the order to eighth, as Adamo, Mewse and Big Van World MTX Kawasaki’s Mikkel Haarup went by.

Mewse then had an issue and pulled into pitlane. He did not finish the race.

At the mid-way stage of the race Horgmo began to fight back as he joined the battle between Adamo and Haarup. On lap 12 Horgmo passed Haarup and then a lap later got around Adamo, before being passed back by Haarup and finishing fifth.

In the final few laps it looked like Vialle was going to challenge Geerts for the win, but ended up tucking the front and going down. He got going quickly and did not lose any positions. Meanwhile Benistant continued his solid race in third.

Geerts went on to win the race, with Vialle second and Benistant third, ahead of Haarup and Horgmo who rounded out the top five.

MX2 Race 2

In the second race, Benistant took the Fox Holeshot again. Vialle was second ahead of Adamo, Geerts and Horgmo, Geerts passed Adamo for second as Vialle took over the lead. Benistant dropped back to third.

Adamo then came under fire from Hitachi KTM Fuelled by Milwaukee’s Isak Gifting as he got himself into fifth, while Geerts was able to find a few good lines to get close to Vialle.

There was not change inside the top 10 for a while and the focus remained on Vialle and Geerts who were pushing each other throughout the race. Both were making mistakes which was an advantage to the other but ultimately, Vialle was able to keep a cool head under pressure and win the second heat. Geerts was second, ahead of Benistant, Horgmo and Gifting.

Haarup finished sixth in the race but was given a five-place penalty for failing noise control after the race.

A 2-1 scorecard gave Vialle his first overall win since Trentino and his second victory in Riola Sardo, as Geerts was forced to settle for second ahead of his teammate Benistant who made his return to the podium.

In terms of the championship standings, Geerts maintains the red plate with a 6-point advantage over Vialle and Längenfelder who is third.

The next round of the FIM Motocross World Championship heads to intu Xanadú – Arroyomolinos for the MXGP of Spain in a couple of week time.

Tom Vialle – P1

“I’m really happy to win today. It was a tough track and it was really hot also. In the first race I didn’t have a super start let’s say and I was around sixth in the first corner. I passed quickly after two laps, was already behind Jago and just tried to push all the race, but the track is not easy to pass when you ride on the same speed and then I had a small mistake on the last lap. But anyway, I was feeling actually pretty good and in the second race I had a much better start, I took the lead after a few corners until the end. I could control the race and it was really nice to win. The bike was working amazing today, so I am pretty happy.”

Jago Geerts – P2

“It was quite a tough day. The track was really rough and then with the hot weather, it didn’t make it easier. But I rode two good races today, first race I took the lead in the first or second lap and just had a good pace until the end. Tom was also pushing me so I knew the second race would be tough for sure. And then Tom got a better start in the second heat that made it a bit easier for him and it was me that time around trying to follow him and finished second. I’m happy about today, didn’t make big mistakes and took second place.”

Thibault Benistant – P3

“The weekend was not really easy in the beginning because I didn’t make some really good lap times, I was feeling good but not really free and then during the qualifying race I took a good start and I was riding not so bad, which was good for today. And today I took two Fox Holeshots so mentally was really nice, Tom and Jago were really fast so I just stayed on my speed and tried to not to make mistakes, I was focused on myself and riding and it was quite good.”

Kevin Horgmo – P4

“It was a really tough GP with two hard motos on a difficult track in the heat but I made a good start around third in both motos and that was a good base. I had a small tip-over in the first moto to fall back to eighth but I could come back to fifth after some nice battles with Mikkel as we both made some good passes up the leaderboard. The bike was working perfectly from beginning to end both motos and I still felt good at the end of race one so I was confident for race two. I was fourth almost all moto and tried not to make mistakes but I couldn’t quite make the pass on Thibault for third. I would have liked to be on the podium again, and with a little more luck it could have been possible; we will keep working for it at the next race.”

Simon Langenfelder – P6

“This has definitely been the hardest round of the season! I had bad luck in that second race, crashing in the third turn, but came from last to eighth so fast. I was riding very good for myself. I started losing my rhythm towards the end, so I just rode to the checkered flag and kept trying my best. It was not quite enough today.”

Mikkel Haarup – P8

“I just didn’t get my starts today and that made it a tough day. The first moto I worked my way up to fourth with passes from start-to-finish but my second start was even worse; I made some good passes early in the race but it was difficult to make up positions from mid-moto as the gaps were so great. But I gave it my all; on to the next one.”

MX2 Sardegna Results Overall

MX2 of Sardegna Standings

Wil Ruprecht does the double in Portugal
EnduroGP of Portugal – Round Two

Aussie Wil Ruprecht raced to overall victory on the opening day of the WPTGlobal FIM EnduroGP World Championship’s GP of Portugal, the TM rider put together a sensational day racing, through super challenging terrain and the all-important third and final lap of the day in Peso da Regua.

In topping the results, he claimed his first overall EnduroGP class victory of the season while countryman Daniel Milner came home in P14 overall, as sixth E2 rider. New Zealand’s Hamish Macdonald finished the opening day in seventh.

Ruprecht went on to claim claim his second EnduroGP win of 2022 on day two with an even more dominant victory, making for a perfect weekend and the Australian now leads the overall EnduroGP class with two rounds of the series completed. Milner claimed another 14th place finish on Day 2, this time as seventh E2 rider.

Wil Ruprecht – 1-1

“It’s been an awesome weekend going 1-1. Conditions were dry, dusty, and proper tough. I’m pleased with myself to have ridden maturely and strong on both days – it was a fine line between pushing hard and ushing too hard and crashing. We’ve got a few weeks to go until round three and motivation is high to keep this rhythm going.”

See the full report here:
Wil Ruprecht does the double in Portugal to lead EnduroGP!

2022 Racing schedule

2022 Yamaha Australian Off-Road Championship, presented by MXstore

2022 FIM Motocross (MXGP) World Championship Calendar

2022 FIM Hard Enduro World Championship Provisional Schedule

2022 ProMX Championship Calendar

Round	Location	Date
Round 1	Wonthaggi, VIC	Mar-27
Round 2	Mackay, QLD	Apr-10
Round 3	Wodonga, VIC	May-01
Round 4	Gillman, SA	May-29
Round 5	Maitland, NSW	Jun-26
Round 6	Coffs Harbour, NSW	Jul-24
Round 7	Queensland Moto Park	Aug-14
Round 8	Coolum, QLD	August 20-21

2022 Lucas Oil Pro MX Championship Calendar

Round	Event	Location	Date
Round 1	Fox Raceway National I	Pala, CA	May-28
Round 2	Hangtown Motocross Classic	Sacramento, CA	Jun-04
Round 3	Thunder Valley National	Lakewood, CO	Jun-11
Round 4	High Point National	MT Morris, PA	Jun-28
Round 5	Redbud National	Buchanan, MI	Jul-02
Round 6	Southwick National	Southwick, MA	Jul-09
Round 7	Spring Creek National	Millwille, MN	Jul-16
Round 8	Washougal National	Washougal, WA	Jul-23
Round 9	Unadilla National	New Berlin, NY	Aug-13
Round 10	Budds Creek National	Mechanicsville, MD	Aug-20
Round 11	Ironman National	Crawfordsville, IN	Aug-27
Round 12	Fox Raceway National II	Pala, CA	Sep-03

2022 Victorian Junior MX State Titles Calendar

Round	Location	Date
Round 1	Shipwreck	April 2-3
Round 2	Broadford	May 7-8
Round 3	Horsham	July 30-31
Round 4	Korumburra	September 3-4

 2022 FIM Bajas World Cup Calendar

Date	Event	Venue	Country
17-19 February	Jordan Baja	Aqaba	Jordan
24 -26 February	Qatar Intl. Baja	Doha	Qatar
06-08 May	Baja do Oeste Castelo	Branco	Portugal
22-23 July	Baja Aragon	Teruel	Spain
04-07 August	Hungarian Baja	Varpalota	Hungary
27-30 August	Atacama Baja 1	Iquique	Chile
31 Aug-01 Sept	Atacama Baja 2	Iquique	Chile
27-29 October	Baja Portalegre	Portalegre	Portugal
10-12 November	Saudi Baja * Tbc	Saudi	Arabia
01-03 December	Dubai Intl. Baja	Dubai United	Arab Emirate

2022 Silk Way Rally – July 6-16, 2022

2022 FIM ISDE – Le Puy en Velay, France
29 August-3 September, 2022